Tibareni
The Tibareni (Georgian: ტიბარენები, Tibarenebi; Greek: Τιβαρηνοί[1] and Τιβαρανοί;[1]) were a people residing on the coast of ancient Pontus referred to in Herodotus, Xenophon, Strabo and other classical authors. The Tibareni were believed to be of proto-Kartvelian[2][3][4] or Scythian origin.[5][6][7][8]
History

Tibareni occupied the country between the Chalybes and the Mosynoeci, on the east of the river Isis, and the country was called Tibarenia (Ancient Greek: Τιβαρηνία).[1] They are mentioned as early as the time of Herodotus,[9] According to the ancient Greeks, the Tibareni were Scythians.[10] Strabo describes them as inhabiting the mountains branching off from the Montes Moschici and Colchici, and mentions Cotyura as their principal town.[11][12] They appear to have been a harmless and happy people, who performed all their duties in a joyous manner.[5][8][13] Their arms consisted of wooden helmets, small shields, and short spears with long points.[14] Xenophon and his Greeks spent three days in travelling through their country.[15][16][17][18]
All three tribes — Tibareni, Chalybes and Mosynoeci — still neighbored each other, along the Black Sea coast of Anatolia (ancient Pontus), as late as in Roman times. Tibareni, along with the other Proto-Georgian tribes were subjugated by the Achaemenid Empire in the 6th-5th centuries BC and were incorporated into the XIX Satrapy.[19]
References
- Stephanus of Byzantium, Ethnica, § T622.6
- Rapp, S. H., & Crego, P. (2011). Languages and cultures of Eastern Christianity. Ashgate.
- Morritt, R.D. (2010) Stones that Speak. EBSCO ebook academic collection. Cambridge Scholars Pub.](9781443821766) p.99
- Toumanoff, Cyril (1963). Studies in Christian Caucasian History. Georgetown University Press. p. 56.
- Schol. ad Apoll. Rhod. 2.378, 1010
- Xenophon. Anabasis. Vol. 5.5.2.
- Periplus of Pseudo-Scylax
- Stephanus of Byzantium. Ethnica. Vol. s.v. Τιβαρηνία.
- Herodotus. Histories. Vol. 3.94.
- Lorenzo D'alfonso. "Tabal, an 'out-group' definition in the first Millennium BCE." 2012. p. 185. https://www.academia.edu/2951102/Tabal_an_out_group_definition_in_the_first_Millennium_BCE
- Strabo. Geographica. Vol. xi. p.527. Page numbers refer to those of Isaac Casaubon's edition.
- Pliny. Naturalis Historia. Vol. 6.4.
- Anon. Peripl. P. E. p. 12; Pomponius Mela. De situ orbis. Vol. 1.19.
- Herodotus. Histories. Vol. 7.78.
- Xenophon. Anabasis. Vol. 7.8.25.
- Diodorus Siculus. Bibliotheca historica (Historical Library). Vol. 14.30.
- Dionys. Per. 767; Pomponius Mela. De situ orbis. Vol. 1.2.
- Strabo. Geographica. Vol. ii. p.129, vii. p. 309, xi. p. 549, xii. p. 555. Page numbers refer to those of Isaac Casaubon's edition.
- Rayfield, Donald (2012). Edge of Empires: A History of Georgia. p. 19.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Smith, William, ed. (1854–1857). "Tibareni". Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography. London: John Murray.